Airbag with floating tethers

• US 7,393,011 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Keshavaraj, Ramesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Ilan; Ruth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Drew J.
• Application Number:
  US11/361,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 280/743.2, 280/732, 280/739, 280/742, 280/730.1, 280/753
• US Class Current: 280/743.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0051 Knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21525 the lid being fixed on the bag, or forming part of the bag wall, or the bag itself being used as wall liner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/215 characterised by the covers for the inflatable member B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

An airbag assembly including one or more elongate tether elements that extend through vent openings along travel paths from anchoring locations such that the tether elements extend in sliding relation through the vent openings. The gas emission capacity of the vent openings may be adjustable based on internal cushion pressure.

Claims

1. An airbag safety system, the safety system comprising:

an inflatable airbag cushion comprising at least a first gas vent opening disposed across a boundary wall of the airbag cushion;

at least a first vent cover of pliable character disposed at least partially across said first gas vent opening, the first vent cover comprising an opening substantially misaligned with said first gas vent opening; and

at least a first elongate tether extending from an anchor position through said first gas vent opening and through the opening in the first vent cover such that the elongate tether is normally disposed in sliding relation within said first gas vent opening, wherein upon inflation of the airbag cushion, the first vent cover is adapted to deform under pressure and at least partially plug the first gas vent opening.

2. The safety system according to claim 1, further comprising a non-inflatable occupant impact panel disposed in overlying relation to the airbag cushion, such that the impact panel is projected outwardly into contact with a vehicle occupant upon inflation of the airbag cushion, and wherein said first elongate tether is operatively connected to the impact panel.

3. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the airbag cushion and the first vent cover comprises a textile fabric.

4. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein each of the airbag cushion and the first vent cover comprises a textile fabric.

5. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the first vent cover comprises an aperture at an interior portion of the first vent cover.

6. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein the first elongate tether extends in a travel path across at least a portion of the airbag cushion such that the first elongate tether extends through an opening in a second vent cover and through a second gas vent opening and wherein the opening in the second vent cover and the second gas vent opening are substantially misaligned and wherein upon inflation of the airbag cushion, the second vent cover is adapted to deform under pressure and at least partially plug the second gas vent opening.

7. The safety system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the airbag cushion and the second vent cover comprises a textile fabric.

8. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein each of the airbag cushion and the second vent cover comprises a textile fabric.

9. The safety system according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second elongate tether extending through a second gas vent opening and an opening in a second vent cover and wherein the opening in the second vent cover and the second gas vent opening are substantially misaligned and wherein upon inflation of the airbag cushion, the second vent cover is adapted to deform under pressure and at least partially plug the second gas vent opening.

10. The safety system according to claim 8, wherein the second elongate tether is affixed to the first elongate tether.

11. An airbag safety system adapted to cushion a vehicle occupant during an impact event, the safety system comprising:

an inflatable airbag cushion comprising at least a first gas vent opening disposed across a boundary wall of the airbag cushion;

at least a first vent cover of pliable character disposed at least partially across said first gas vent opening, the first vent cover comprising an opening substantially misaligned with said first gas vent opening; and

at least a first elongate tether extending through said first gas vent opening and through the opening in the first vent cover such that the elongate tether is normally disposed in sliding relation within said first gas vent opening, wherein upon inflation of the airbag cushion, the first vent cover is adapted to deform under pressure and at least partially plug the first gas vent opening and wherein the first elongate tether extends in a travel path across at least a portion of the airbag cushion and is affixed to a boundary wall of the airbag cushion.

12. The safety system according to claim 11, further comprising a non-inflatable occupant impact panel disposed in overlying relation to the airbag cushion, such that the impact panel is projected outwardly into contact with a vehicle occupant upon inflation of the airbag cushion, and wherein said first elongate tether is operatively connected to the impact panel.

13. The safety system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the airbag cushion and the first vent cover comprises a textile fabric.

14. The safety system according to claim 11, wherein each of the airbag cushion and the first vent cover comprises a textile fabric.

15. The safety system according to claim 11, wherein the opening in the first vent cover comprises an aperture at an interior portion of the first vent cover.

16. An airbag safety system adapted to cushion a vehicle occupant during an impact event, the safety system comprising:

an inflatable airbag cushion comprising at least a first pair of gas vent openings disposed across boundary walls of the airbag cushion and at least a second pair of gas vent openings disposed across boundary walls of the airbag cushion;

vent covers of pliable character disposed at interior positions of the airbag cushion at least partially across each gas vent opening in the first and second pairs of gas vent openings, each of said vent covers comprising an opening substantially misaligned with an opposing gas vent opening;

a first elongate tether extending from an anchor position along a travel path through said first pair of gas vent openings and through the openings in the vent covers disposed across said first pair of gas vent openings, and a second elongate tether extending from an anchor position along a travel path through said second pair of gas vent openings and through the openings in the vent covers disposed across said second pair of gas vent openings such that the first elongate tether is normally disposed in sliding relation within the first pair of gas vent openings and the second elongate tether is normally disposed in sliding relation within the second pair of gas vent openings, wherein upon inflation of the airbag cushion, at least a portion of the vent covers are adapted to deform under pressure and at least partially plug opposing gas vent openings.

17. The safety system according to claim 16, further comprising a non-inflatable occupant impact panel disposed in overlying relation to the airbag cushion, such that the impact panel is projected outwardly into contact with a vehicle occupant upon inflation of the airbag cushion, and wherein said first elongate tether and said second elongate tether are each operatively connected to the impact panel.

18. The safety system according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the airbag cushion and a portion of the vent covers comprises a textile fabric.

19. The safety system according to claim 17, wherein each of the airbag cushion and the vent covers comprise a textile fabric.